Even then, the "HP Way" (respect, integrity, teamwork) was forming. They pioneered and profit-sharing. Development here meant building high-quality test and measurement instruments for engineers, by engineers.
From a garage to the global stage—that’s the HP way.
Stanford classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started with $538 in capital. Their first product? The HP 200A audio oscillator—a device used by sound engineers. Their early success came from landing a deal with Walt Disney Productions, who used HP’s oscillators to develop the sound system for Fantasia .
Let’s break down the key phases of HP’s development.
Founded in a one-car garage in Palo Alto in 1939 (a site now marked as the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley”), HP’s journey from precision audio oscillators to edge-to-cloud solutions is a masterclass in adaptation, resilience, and innovation.
When you hear “HP,” you might think of a printer, a laptop, or perhaps an ink subscription. But the story of Hewlett-Packard’s development isn’t just a corporate timeline—it’s the original blueprint for Silicon Valley itself.